Set forth in the co-pending application identified above is a method for fitting eyewear to a wearer. One of the steps of that method disclosed therein includes determining the temple to temple frame size of each frame of the stock of frames from which the wearer will select his or her frame. When this determination is made by actually measuring the temple to temple frame size, several problems are encountered.
When the frames are open, it is difficult to maintain the temples parallel to each other and perpendicular to the front of the frame, so as to obtain an accurate temple to temple measurement. It is also difficult to keep the caliper or scale perpendicular to the temples. In order to get an acceptable accurate temple to temple measurement (dimension G in FIG. 3 of the co-pending application), it is necessary that the temple pieces be substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the front of the frame, and, concomitantly, to plane 16 (FIG. 3 of the co-pending application).
It is also necessary that the measurement be taken at locations along each temple piece which are equidistant from the frame front or plane 16. When this measurement is taken freehand, it is difficult to locate accurately both ends of the measuring device at locations equidistant from plane 16 while maintaining the desired parallelism and perpendicularity of the temple pieces.
Another problem in measuring this dimension is the potential for scratching the frames or lenses (if any). If the frames are placed on an unacceptable surface, that surface may result in scratches to the frame, particularly the front of the frame, or lenses. If metal calipers are used to measure this distance, scratches in the temple pieces may result. Avoiding these problems while taking a freehand measurement requires a significant amount of time, and frequently results in inaccurate measurements or scratches.
Thus, there is a need for a device which allows the quick, efficient and accurate measurement of the perpendicular distance between the temples. Such a device should be made of a material which will not easily scratch the eyeglass frame being measured.